My college students have been writing research papers and they have to write both sides of the argument. First the one they disagree with, then the one with which they agree.
My plan has been vindicated, one of my students said, “Writing the side I disagreed with helped. I looked for logical arguments.†That was my plan all along!
Several students said that writing the side they disagreed with was easier because they could tell which were stronger arguments in general.
Two students even said that writing the papers may have changed their minds on the subject.
One said she now understood how people could agree with the other side where before she had thought that side had no redeeming arguments.
That’s what you want in a class. Learning and thinking taking place. (Not necessarily in that order.)